Women and girls around the world are excluded from participation in science and technology (S&T) by poverty, lack of education and aspects of their legal, institutional, political and cultural environments. Science, Technology and Gender: An International Report is designed to support efforts being made worldwide to analyze, discuss and change this situation.

Based on empirical research and data, this UNESCO report incorporates substantive inputs from institutions involved in science, technology, gender studies and policy. Marking the start of an ongoing initiative, it aims to spur serious discussion and action in national and international scientific and academic communities, especially regarding the pressing needs to increase women’s participation in S&T careers and enable sex-disaggregated data collection and rigorous research development, along with increasing public awareness of gender issues.

With its goal of helping educators, policy-makers and the members of the scientific community to address the underlying causes of gender disparities in S&T, both in the public and private sectors, this report represents an important contribution to the political and institutional mainstreaming of the gender dimension in S&T.